A set of posters to inform and empower Black pregnant individuals to have conversations about maternal mortality.
Artist
Nell Williams (2024)
Caption
Maternal mortality is a growing issue in America, especially within minority populations, such as Black women. In 2021, the overall maternal mortality rate in the U.S. was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, but for Black women, the rate was much higher, at 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births. These posters seek to uplift, highlight, and empower the voices of Black pregnant individuals so they can have conversations about Black maternal mortality and make informed decisions about their care. While these posters cannot replace the deep-rooted, systemic changes needed to eliminate medical racism within America, until society catches up, it is important to provide as many resources and pieces of education as possible to the people affected in order to make them feel heard and empowered, as that can also make a difference.
Artist Lens
This series of posters was made with the idea that when Black individuals go to an OBGYN office, a clinic, etc., they may be nervous about their experience and how they will be treated as a Black person in American healthcare spaces. Many Black individuals in America have experienced trauma from healthcare discrimination or racism and this has especially impacted Black pregnant individuals. So, hopefully seeing these posters hanging in a medical office could empower their voices instead of silencing them and provide comfort as they enter appointments and plan their pregnancy. These posters use the language “Black women,” “mothers,” “families,” etc., but trans and nonbinary people can also be pregnant, and a “family” or “guardian” takes many forms. The language in these posters reflects the language used in the data, which specifically focuses on Black women, but this information can be useful to any Black individual who wants to feel more empowered when pregnant.
The first poster, “Maternal Mortality Disparities,” features some baseline information and statistics on maternal mortality in America and focuses on the experiences of Black women. The infographic is not made to make the individuals viewing it more nervous, but to educate them on the risks and provide confidence when addressing concerns about their pregnancy with medical providers. The second poster, “Black Doula/Midwife Care,” provides information on doula and midwife care and the benefits for Black communities. When Black families use a Black doula/midwife service, there are fewer complications and better support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care. Finally, the third poster, “Beginning Conversations About Race with Medical Providers,” has some quick tips on beginning conversations about the increased risk for maternal mortality for Black women. Hopefully, this poster would encourage these necessary and vulnerable conversations, empowering the voice of the pregnant individual, while also making sure the medical provider is made aware of the mother’s concerns. Each poster has a QR code that lists additional resources to allow anyone viewing it to easily find more information when they leave the doctor’s office in which these posters would be placed.
Media
Digital